AMD Commits to CrossFireX, Eyefinity, and Stereoscopic 3D with New Catalyst Releases

If ATI is your video platform of choice, and if you happen to use more than one of AMD’s Radeon HD 5000-series cards at a time, you’ll want to particular attention to the Catalyst Software Suite. Version 10.2, which is out as of today, is packed with features and updates that are aimed squarely at those with CrossFireX graphics setups. Next month’s version, 10.3, introduces even more refinements—and tosses in stereoscopic 3D, too.

First, let’s look at what’s new in Catalyst 10.2. Foremost among this release’s features is the ability for users of more than one video card to supercharge their Eyefinity multiple-monitor setups using CrossFireX. This feature previously only worked in AMD’s top-of-the-top-of-the-line ATI Radeon HD 5970, but is now filtering down to the rest of the 5000 series.

CrossFireX technology application profiles are also getting a rethink. They’re being removed from the video driver itself and placed in a separate XML file so they can be updated more quickly and easily via downloads (of EXE files) from AMD’s Web site. This lets AMD have more up-to-the-minute compatibility with current applications that its current once-a-month update of the Catalyst software doesn’t necessarily allow.

Also new are the benefits of ATI’s PowerPlay arriving in CrossFireX configurations to let users of 5000-series cards tone down their electricity intake. (Supported cards include the 5970, 5800, or 5700 series models.) The technology was developed for laptops, but has appeared in single desktop cards since the 3800 series. The feature is automatically enabled in the Catalyst driver for Windows Vista and Windows 7. If you using multiple cards, PowerPlay can set the secondary GPU engine and memory clocks to low levels and reduce voltage when your applications are not using one or more GPUs; this would let you save on energy (and money on your power bill) when you’re not gaming and don’t need the extra video horsepower.

AMD is also introducing some significant changes to the CrossFireX architecture, which aren’t being used yet, but are undoubtedly setting up some interesting stuff down the line. The multi-GPU code is being moved from the 3D driver component and into its own driver component. Also part of the re-architecture are common CrossFireX technology algorithms, which are being added across APIs for Direct3D and OpenGL and all graphics products.

Only one of the changes in Catalyst 10.2 doesn’t directly relate to CrossFireX. If you use a DisplayPort monitor that’s equipped with built-in speakers, you can now pass audio directly through to it.

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